Saturday, February 16, 2013 1:33 pm

Walmart letting fans vote to name Pocono race

By DAN GELSTON

Forget the deals at the stores. Walmart is slashing prices at the track.

Walmart has teamed up with Pocono Raceway to offer fans a chance to name the June 9 Sprint Cup Pocono 400 race at the track.

Fans can pitch ideas and vote via Walmart's local Facebook page. They can also name a signature concession and decide the look of the pace car.

Walmart also is offering a $99 Family Track Pack of tickets, which includes four race tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas. Walmart will also host in-store events with race car displays, racing simulator machines and special appearances by drivers in every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race market.

The timeline is as follows:

- Race Name Submission (2/14 - 2/25): Fans can submit a name of their choice (32 character limit).

- Race Name Vote (3/11 - 4/8): Fans vote for one of the three race name options.

- Concession Item (4/9- 5/6): Fans vote for one of three types of pierogies, decided by the Pocono Raceway Fan Council.

Walmart also is offering 16,000 concourse grandstand tickets for the June 9 race for $25 each. The retailer is offering the $99 family pack deal at Walmart.com/NASCAR and in select stores for 17 races this season, including the Coca-Cola 600, both Dover International Speedway races, and the championship finale at Homestead on Nov. 17.

Pocono had long eschewed corporate sponsorship in race titles until recent seasons.